People News Josh Sawyer plans to develop a historical RPG after his current project

[Manmower]

You don't get what I'm saying?

I do. I just think there's a chance it might be an interesting, historically-accurate RPG. Not saying that's guaranteed, but one can always hope.

It'll be a game about regional differences in pronunciation of the Walloon language and you'll die before finishing it.

That made me chuckle. But seriously, you really think Feargus would let him make a non-marketable game. If it's done, it's gonna be a turn-based low-fantasy setting, like Josh's beloved Darklands.

Just yesterday in another thread people understood perfectly what Activision stood for after the company ruined ONE title.

Would you mind linking the thread? I'm interested now that you've mentioned it.

This is some mental blind spot you fanboys have.

There's a low of things that can be said about me, but Sawyer fanboy is definitely not one of them.

Hype yourselves all you want.

I'm not hyped for his game, I'm hyped for the fact that they'll get him doing something he enjoys, so that someone else can maybe make a kind of Torment-esque RPG that the rest of us on the Codex want. It's win-win.

 

[Sranchammer]

Revisionist drivel.

 

[Thonius]

Was that BBT citation? I mean big bad bold SARCASM?

No. Just don't watch TV. Ever.

 

[Tigranes]

And this is exactly what Sawyer would do - he'd make a game that he wants to play. Most likely, you or anyone else here wouldn't want to play it.

That's completely ok, and I'm fine with it. Let the man do what he wants to do. It's plain as day that he doesn't enjoy over-the-top Avellonian RPGs that the majority of us desperately want to play. I honestly believe that Sawyer has in him at least 1 good historical CRPG. A game he could be passionate about, and that would benefit from his attention to detail. It's not that he's a bad dev, it's just that he's a poor fit for epic narratives that hinge on larger-than-life characters and storylines.

You don't get what I'm saying? The RPG he'll make - it'll be for him only. It won't be good or bad, it'll be more like something not from this plane of existence, something from DnD's Hades. It'll be a game about regional differences in pronunciation of the Walloon language and you'll die before finishing it.

I'm done explaining that. You don't want to get it - fine. Just yesterday in another thread people understood perfectly what Activision stood for after the company ruined ONE title. But after NUMEROUS titles Sawyer ruined you still don't understand what he is? This is some mental blind spot you fanboys have. I'm done explaining it. Hype yourselves all you want.

Thanks for telling me what I would or would not enjoy, but as flawed and weird as I expect a Sawyer's Game From The Heart to be, it's probably still far more enjoyable than your baseless and pointless declarations. Everything he's said about his interest in a hypothetical historical game sounds pretty cool to me.

I liked some of what Sawyer did in previous games, didn't like some others. You think he turns everything he touches into liquid shit. That's called a difference of opinion and taste, not "omg he so fanboi he doesnt know whats good for him".

 

[Shadenuat]

You don't get what I'm saying? The RPG he'll make - it'll be for him only.

As far as games go (or any media and art really), that is a good thing. Making something good for 100 people is easier than for hundred thousand. Age of Decadence is a perfect example of this. Maybe we won't like what Sawyer would do, but at least that would be something he wants to do, unlike Pillars of Eternity.

 

[Lurker King]

And this is exactly what Sawyer would do - he'd make a game that he wants to play. Most likely, you or anyone else here wouldn't want to play it.

Ladies and gentlemen! Make your bets!

In theory, any pseudo-historic cRPG with turn-based combat system sounds better than any Infinity Engine RTwP inspired garbage. However, in practice, he can fuck things up. We don’t know if the setting will have a SJW inclination or if the combat system will cater to mongoloids or avoid addiction.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I'd play a RTwP party-based RPGs about regional differences in pronunciation of the Walloon language.

 

[Manmower]

I'd play a RTwP party-based RPGs about regional differences in pronunciation of the Walloon language.

Implying it wouldn't be a turn-based hex-grid dance-off featuring the archaic local anthems of pre-Rus Novgorod.

 

[Fry]

I still doubt Feargus will let him do it, but I also at this point wonder why Obsidian hasn't just established a mobile gaming group. They're already suckling the derivative Rooskie MMO teat, so morality and traditional Obsidian RPG game design values can't be the roadblock.

I'm pretty sure they could design a horrendously exploitative mobile game in their sleep. Money from phone addicts is better than any crowd funding nonsense, and could finance a lot of real games.

 

[Infinitron]

I still doubt Feargus will let him do it, but I also at this point wonder why Obsidian hasn't just established a mobile gaming group.

Go take a look at the Gazebo forum.

 

[Fry]

Baffled I wasn't aware of this. Maybe I blocked it out.

I any case, good start. Take the PoE IP, gin up some shitty tower defense game, and get Paradox to dump in marketing money. The cash taps will never run dry.

 

[Manmower]

I'm pretty sure they could design a horrendously exploitative mobile game in their sleep.

You give them far too much credit. These are the people who keep failing to deliver a worthwhile, normal, baseline RPG, despite having worked on it -- in one incarnation or another -- for the past 10 years. I love Obsidian for the fact they're scrappy and never sold out to a big publisher, but let's be realistic. They're a company that's constantly hemorrhaging talent. Their strongest asset is storyfaggotry, and they've let MCA, Zeits, and Gonzales all walk. Why? How? I mean, at this point, does it even matter? Either the leadership is incompetent, or Balancemaster Sawyer is a grinch that's impossible to work with. Either way, Obsidian just can't catch a break.

 

[Infinitron]

RingMachine, is that you?

 

[Fry]

I'm pretty sure they could design a horrendously exploitative mobile game in their sleep.

You give them far too much credit. These are the people who keep failing to deliver a worthwhile, normal, baseline RPG, despite having worked on it -- in one incarnation or another -- for the past 10 years.

Sadly, I can't agree with you on that.

BTW, what's a "normal, baseline RPG"?

 

[Manmower]

BTW, what's a "normal, baseline RPG"?

One that has all of these elements, not just 2 or 3 of them:

• solid storyline with a sensible narrative and at least 1 major plot twist
• interesting and memorable characters that are a joy to either like or dislike
• a relatively smooth engine that's not plagued by an entire beehive of insects
• good mechanics, fun systems, and at least a semblance of C&C reactivity
• overall FUN gameplay that doesn't annoy or irritate the player

Tell me, when was the last time Obsidian hit all 5?

 

[Fry]

Considering that entire list is subjective, there's little point in picking.

But I can say in all honestly that I have never played a game that hit all 5 (in my opinion).

 

[Athelas]

One that has all of these elements, not just 2 or 3 of them:

• solid storyline with a sensible narrative and at least 1 major plot twist

Ah yes, the acclaimed M. Night Shyalaman school of RPG design.

 

[Manmower]

Considering that entire list is subjective, there's little point in picking.

But is it?

Consider Pillars:

• meh storyline with a weak-ass antagonist and a no drive to pursue him
• joyless, flat, dry, flaky, irritating, and entirely vapid characters (aside from Durance)
• atrocious Unity engine that consumes far more resources than necessary and comes with equally shitty loading times
• trite combat, degenerative gameplay, lack of prebuffing or potion use, crappy itemization
• semi-fun overall game that's basically soulless and dead

So... 1.5/5? Did I get it right?

EDIT:

But I can say in all honestly that I have never played a game that hit all 5 (in my opinion).

Neither have I, but games like Fallout 2 and PS:T were solid 4/5 experiences for me, proving that products like that CAN be made.

 

[Manmower]

Ah yes, the M. Night Shyalaman school of RPG design.

Right, because uninspired narratives really are loads of fun. Are you by any chance a protegee of Balancemaster Sawyer?

 

[Fry]

Yes, your adherence to the Codex hive mind is noted. Well done.

Here's a more interesting question... how many games have you played that you think hit all 5?

 

[Manmower]

Here's a more interesting question... how many games have you played that you think hit all 5?

Morrowind was a 4.5/5 in my book. The ambient, the music, the immersion, the sense of wonder... I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I must have spent hundreds of hours playing that game. Which is why Bethesda's fall from grace hurts that much more.

 

[Ninjerk]

 

[Fry]

Ok, that's one.

Did you have more than game on your list of "normal, baseline" RPGs? If not, you may want to reconsider how you're defining "normal".

 

[Joni Odin von Hassenstein]

One that has all of these elements, not just 2 or 3 of them:

• solid storyline with a sensible narrative and at least 1 major plot twist
• interesting and memorable characters that are a joy to either like or dislike
• a relatively smooth engine that's not plagued by an entire beehive of insects
• good mechanics, fun systems, and at least a semblance of C&C reactivity
• overall FUN gameplay that doesn't annoy or irritate the player

Tell me, when was the last time Obsidian hit all 5?

PoE.

 

[Ninjerk]

He said ALL five, not none.